


End of the Line

by FrankenSpine



Series: MayorQueen/EvilSwanQueen [14]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Anti-Snow for the most part, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, One Shot, Polyamory, Sad Ending, Snow White is a bitch, but David is cool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23640412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankenSpine/pseuds/FrankenSpine
Summary: After moving into the mansion with Regina and the Queen, Emma is confronted by Snow, who makes it clear that she doesn't approve. What Snow doesn't anticipate is that the whole town will end up turning on her.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/"Hyde" Evil Queen/Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Series: MayorQueen/EvilSwanQueen [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543048
Comments: 6
Kudos: 98





	End of the Line

It had been a week since Emma moved into the mansion, and things were going smoothly. She had her own bedroom, but she’d spent most nights thus far in bed with Regina and the Queen, and she got to see Henry every day. It was all very freeing. She felt truly happy. But as with most good things in her thirty-five years of life, there was a downside.

On this day, as Emma was at the diner enjoying a succulent, greasy cheeseburger with onion rings, she found herself confronted by her mother. Snow was frowning at her.

“Uh, hey Mom. What’s up?”

“Hello, Emma. Do you mind if I sit?”

Emma got an uneasy feeling, but nodded. “Sure, go ahead. You want anything? My treat.”

“No, but thank you,” said Snow. She let out a heavy sigh. “Emma, have I done something wrong?”

Emma’s brows furrowed. “Huh?”

Snow’s frown only deepened as she lowered her voice. “First Regina starts having _relations_ with herself— _ugh—_ then you go and join them, and now you’ve _moved in?_ What did I do that upset you so much?”

“Mom, I’m gonna pretend I don’t know what you’re implying. Just say what you mean. Are you seriously suggesting that me having ‘relations,’ as you put it, with Regina and the Queen is some form of retaliation against you? You’ve gotta be _kidding me.”_

“It’s sick, Emma. I suppose if it was _just_ Regina, it wouldn’t be as much of a problem, even though she’s your _step-grandmother,_ but _this?_ This is— this is _wrong.”_ Snow folded her arms. “Your behavior is going to corrupt Henry, and I won’t stand for it.”

“You wanna run that by me one more time?” Emma snapped, “How _dare_ you? You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about! Henry’s been nothing but ecstatic, having all of us living together. We all take turns looking after him and making sure he does his homework, not that I even _have_ to justify any of this to you. I don’t owe you any sort of explanation. It’s none of your business, but if we’re affecting him in any type of way, it’s entirely positive. So for you to sit here and even _suggest_ that our living situation is going to make him some kind of delinquent is asinine! See what you’ve made me do? You’ve made me lose my appetite, and use the word _asinine!”_

Emma slammed a twenty down and stormed away from the booth, looking to the stunned waitress as she bolted towards the door.

“Money’s on the table, Ruby.”

Ruby blinked, bewildered. “S-Sure thing, Em.”

* * *

Regina was livid. “She _what?”_

Emma’s face was beet red and wet with angry tears. She hadn’t allowed herself to get this worked up in some time, but she couldn’t help it. Her fists were tight and her jaw was clenched, almost to the point that her teeth were at risk of shattering.

“Who the hell does she think she is?” Emma seethed, “How could she say that to me and act like everything was hunky-dory?! See, there I go again, spouting stupid words I never thought I’d say!”

Regina placed her hands on Emma’s tense shoulders. “Emma, look at me.” She offered a reassuring smile as they locked eyes. “Breathe, darling. What Snow said was abhorrent, but you need to try and relax. The Queen and I will handle this. Why don’t you take one of your anxiety pills and lie down for a while? I’m sure that will help you feel better.”

Emma sighed and leaned her head onto Regina’s shoulder. “Okay,” she whispered.

Her entire body relaxed when Regina stroked her back. She went upstairs to take her meds and climbed into Regina’s bed, reveling in the scent of spiced apples as she drifted into a much-needed sleep.

Meanwhile, Regina was pacing her office, unsure of how to go about all this. She was just as angry as Emma, if not more so, but she was a master at masking her emotions. She paused when she heard the front door open and went out into the foyer to find Henry walking in with the Queen.

The pair had gone to the park together and gotten ice cream. Both were smiling, but their faces fell when they saw the look on Regina’s face. She was angry and trying to make it seem otherwise. They both knew Regina wasn’t the greatest when it came to masking her emotions.

The Queen placed a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go wait in the kitchen, dear? I’ll be there in a moment.”

“Okay.”

Henry disappeared into the kitchen and the Queen looked to Regina with concern.

“What’s the matter?”

Regina told her, and now her blood was boiling.

“That _bitch,”_ she hissed, “Who the hell does she think she is? Where is Emma? Tell me she hasn’t strangled Snow already. That’s _my_ job.”

Regina shook her head. “No. We’re going to handle this as civilly as we can. Emma’s upstairs sleeping. Best not to wake her.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Regina went to answer it, albeit with some reluctance, for fear that it might be Snow. Instead, she found herself face to face with David. He was noticeably humiliated, and seemingly just as fed up as she and the Queen were.

“David, what brings you—”

“I came to hear Emma’s side of the story.”

“Well hers is the only side that matters,” the Queen interjected.

“Oh, I believe you. I wanted to apologize,” he said, “Lord knows Snow never will. She told me what happened, but I need to hear it from Emma, too. I am _so sorry,_ you two. Snow should’ve never said those things— especially not to Emma.”

“You’re goddamn right,” said the Queen.

“Please, come in,” Regina said, doing her best to ease the tension.

David stepped inside, visibly uncomfortable, and Regina went upstairs to get Emma. He looked to the Queen apologetically.

“I really am sorry,” he told her, “It’s not her place to say things like that.”

“It most certainly isn’t,” the Queen said, eyes narrowed.

David sighed, but before he could say anything, he heard Emma’s voice. _“Dad?”_ He looked up to see her at the top of the stairs.

“Oh, Emma,” he said, “I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am. Your mother never should have said those things to you. I don’t know what’s gotten into her, thinking she can speak to someone that way, least of all you.”

Emma descended the stairs carefully, still a bit groggy, and soon found herself being pulled into her father’s embrace. She didn’t hesitate to return the gesture.

“I’m glad to hear it, Dad. I just wish it had been from her,” Emma said quietly, “but I know that’s probably never gonna happen.”

David looked at her with a faint smile. “I think I know how we can teach her a lesson,” he said.

Emma couldn’t help but be intrigued. “How?”

David’s smile stretched into a grin. “All we have to do is tell Grumpy. If he knows, so will everyone else.”

* * *

When Snow was at the grocery store that afternoon, she caught glimpses of people giving her dirty looks, though she did her best to pay it no mind. It wasn’t until she reached the checkout that she was confronted by a scowling old woman.

“You got a problem with how people live, Snow White?”

“I— I beg your pardon?”

“I live in a _shoe!_ Are you going to scorn me, too?”

Snow frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Keep telling yourself that, _buttercup.”_

Snow quickly paid for her items and left the store to put her things in the car. It was then that she heard Grumpy’s voice from across the street.

_“Hey, Snow!”_

She felt relieved, knowing her friend was nearby, but then she looked up to find all seven of the dwarves marching towards her.

“Hello, Grumpy. How are you?”

“Oh, are you not gonna greet the others? Is it because all seven of us live together under one roof?”

Snow frowned. “What’s this all about, Grumpy?”

Grumpy folded his arms. “Don’t act like you don’t know, Sister. Everybody knows what you said to Emma.”

Snow rolled her eyes. “Oh, _please._ I was just stating my opinion.”

“Well you shoulda kept it to yourself! She’s your kid! How’re you gonna talk to her like that? Do you even realize why it was wrong?”

“Are you saying you _agree_ with her living arrangement?”

“I don’t care where she lives or who she lives _with!”_ Grumpy snapped, “And neither should you! You stuck your nose where it doesn’t belong. I thought you were better than that, Snow. We _all_ did.”

“But it’s the Evil Queen!”

“She’s not evil! Not anymore!” said Grumpy, “But you? Well, you just _might be.”_

Snow was aghast. “You can’t say that!”

“Oh, but you can insult Emma whenever you feel like it?”

The old woman from earlier walked out and frowned as she passed by Snow. “You’re a stinking hypocrite, Snow White,” she spat, “You oughta be ashamed!”

* * *

Snow stormed up to the mansion, banging loudly on the door. When it opened, she found her husband standing there with his arms folded.

“Hello, Snow,” he said stoically.

“David? What are _you_ doing here?”

“Apologizing to Emma on your behalf.”

Snow was in disbelief. “Are you _honestly_ telling me this whole thing doesn’t bother you?”

“What? You insulting our daughter? You’re damn right it bothers me!”

“No, I meant this— this _threesome,_ or whatever the hell you want to call it!”

“I’m not going to pretend that I fully understand it, Snow,” David said with a frown, “but I _do_ know that it’s none of my business. If Emma wants to talk about it, she will. You never should have gone into that diner today. What you did was _inexcusable!_ Don’t you see that?!”

“You’re being ridiculous, David. All I did was share my concerns.”

“There’s a _fine line_ between being concerned and being a _bitch,”_ David snapped.

Snow stared at him like he’d just struck her. “David! How— How can you say that?”

“Don’t you start with the ‘poor me’ mentality! You are _not_ the victim here, and everybody knows it,” David told her, “I’ll see you in a little while, but I think the best thing you can do right now is go home and think about what you said. Try writing it down on paper. Maybe then you’ll see just how rude you were. Goodbye, Snow.”

And he closed the door in her face.

Once Snow was gone, David turned to look at Emma, who smiled faintly at him from the office door. Regina and the Queen were both behind her, watching the commotion intently. Henry was upstairs in his room with a sound-cancelling spell put on the door, that way he didn’t have to hear any of the shouting.

“You think she’ll learn her lesson?” asked David.

Emma walked over and hugged him. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

* * *

When David returned to the loft, he found a note on the counter, but Snow was nowhere in sight.

_Pack your things and go stay at the inn or something. I don’t care. I just can’t bear to look at you right now, after the way you spoke to me before. Don’t contact me unless you’re ready to apologize._

David was more furious than he’d ever been in his life, but he managed to maintain a stoic expression as he took off his ring and set it carefully on the counter before heading up to pack a suitcase or two. He went back downstairs and out to his truck, throwing his suitcases in the back and driving off towards the diner.

“Hey, David. What can I get you?” asked Ruby.

David smiled sadly at her. “Got any rooms available?”

Just then, Granny emerged from the kitchen. “We sure do. Is it just you?”

“Looks that way.”

Granny offered a sympathetic look. “How long, David?”

“I’ll just pay you for the week. We’ll see where it goes from there.”

“You go on upstairs. I’ll be with you in a few.”

“Thanks, Granny. You’re a life-saver.”

David trudged up the stairs with his suitcases in tow and waited on Granny at the counter. He felt a buzz in his pocket and pulled out his phone, thinking it might be a text from Snow. It wasn’t. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was still painful. It was from Emma.

_How’d it go?_

David sighed as he typed out his reply. _Staying at the inn for a while. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you._

_Love you too. Hope everything works out okay._

_Yeah. Me too._

When he finally entered his room, he didn’t bother changing out of his clothes. He didn’t even turn on the light. He just set his bags down, locked the door, and collapsed onto the creaky bed.

“Damn you, Snow White. Looks like this is the end of the line.”

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up going in a *much* different direction than I initially planned, but I'm satisfied with the result.


End file.
